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Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault issued a challenge to the industry Monday to rethink how the province’s electricity system works and find innovative ways to trim costs for people struggling with high rates.

Ontarians could one day buy electricity in the same way they get natural gas, phone or Internet service — in pricing plans that best suit their lifestyles, says Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault.

He issued a challenge to the industry Monday to rethink how the province’s electricity system works and find innovative ways to trim costs for people struggling with hydro prices.

That includes a new approach for the government in procuring electricity, getting the best deals on whatever sources of clean power are cheapest by calling for bids when more supply is needed, he said in an Empire Club speech to 300 business people.

“If we can find a way to change a few things and save dollars, let’s do that,” said Thibeault, who has been tasked by Premier Kathleen Wynne with cutting costs in the system as the government faces continued public pressure on rates.

There’s no reason why good ideas from other sectors can’t be copied and adapted, he added after a 20-minute speech at the Arcadian Court on Bay St.

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“I call it R and D. Not necessarily research and development, but rip-off and duplicate.”

Thibeault acknowledged the way the electricity system has been run — with the government arbitrarily mandating how much of the supply must be from nuclear, natural gas, wind, solar and other sources — has led to “uncompetitive prices.”

But he defended the Green Energy Act under which renewable power contracts for wind and solar were signed for 20 years, often at above-market rates to kick-start the industry, and said the $12-billion refurbishment of the Darlington nuclear plant will continue.

“It’s created 42,000 jobs and it’s given us an opportunity to have a really good system in place that is reliable and clean,” Thibeault told reporters, referring to the green energy push.

Critics have blamed renewable energy for rates that have hit many Ontarians hard, particularly those on fixed incomes or with electric heat, prompting the government to waive the 8-per-cent provincial portion of the HST on bills starting next year.

“We have these giant turbines going up in unwilling host communities for surplus electricity we do not need,” Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said Monday.

On pricing for consumers, Thibeault said there’s no reason why a retired couple in his riding of Sudbury should be on the same plan as a Mississauga condo resident who is away at work all day.

As the system now works, those retirees are home during periods of peak demand paying the highest prices to run air conditioning or other appliances.

Thibeault raised the possibility that consumers could opt out of time-of-use pricing for flat rates or other mechanisms.

Details will come in the government’s updated long-term energy plan being developed now with input from the industry and consumers. It will be released next spring, with any measures taking until after the 2018 election to be implemented.

Local utilities such as Toronto Hydro might lose their monopolies and face competition from new players in the industry, he added.

New opportunities for electricity supply will arise when existing contracts expire.

“We have a heck of a long way to go in creating this new, adaptive market,” Thibeault said, acknowledging many costs are already built into the system, making it difficult to offer major rate relief.

For example, jurisdictions that have moved to a bid system or “capacity auction” for procuring new sources of electricity have saved about 8 per cent, the energy minister noted.

“If it’s solar, if it’s wind, if it’s hydroelectric, whatever is going to be the cheapest and most affordable.”

With files from Kristin Rushowy

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